Switch-operating mechanism



c. H. BissELl.-

swITcH OPERATING MEGHANISM April 6 1926.

Filed Oct. 23'. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY;

c. H. Blssl-:LL

SWITCH OPERATNG vMECHANISI Filed not. 2s. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INI/ENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 6, 1926.

.UNrrrsE-D STAT-ss SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANSM Application filedOctober19231l Serial No. 670383.?

Toaliurzom, may concern:

Be it known that I', Gin i H; Brssnnn, a citizenzot. thcUnitedStates, and a resident ot'` Syracuse, inV thel county otr'- Onondaga andState` ot; New Yorin have inventedv a certain. nen" and; useful SwitchfOperating Mechanism, ot which the` tollowing, is a specification.

This invention. relates. to electric switches and hastoritsohject aparticularly simple and: etiicient'. switch operating, mechanism and locking mechanism 'for holding'. the switchfin.on position and particularly simple and etlicient locl'cing. andreleasingmeans tor holding and releasing when operated the handle andthe switch.. y

The.: invention consists. in' the novelJ features and. combinationsl and constructions hereinattersetforth and claimed.

In describing` this*inventionreference is hadto the accon'ipz'mying` .drawings in which' like characters designate' corresponding parts in all the views.

Figurel 1 is a: plan View of a switch em.- bodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof, partly. in section.

Figurcr" isa Adetail View otpartsot the release means.

Figure t is a diagrammatic View et the wiringo'fthe low wloltage release mechanism.

vThis switclroperating mechanism, com# prisesgenerally. a. movable switch member," operatingl means therefor, confiprising` a h andle and motiontransmitting means between the handle and the switch member, thehan.- die being connectedIto themotiontransmitting: means by. a. lost" motionfvconnection, whicl'i` permits movement. of the handle relatively to theV transmitting' means; particularly in a. retrograde direction,v locking` means moifable automatically into operative. position for. holdingzthe `motion .transmitting means and switchmemberrin 'oii. position, locking means coacting withthechandle for holding-,it in on. positiomwhereby. retro-V grade movement isl prevented, owingitothe lost motion. connection` when. the switchV is on and means. `for releasing.; or tripping' the lock` tor thehandle, thelhandle being movable. automatically in arretrograde. direction whenireleased. of its locking means' tori the trippingmotion transmitting means.

The .switch may bev of any suitable. form7- size andiconstructien andis herelsho-wn as.

locatedgin-l asuitablecasing oribox. I have; here illustrated the'switch as adaptcdtolbe used in. a' three .wire system. t

1 designates: the-box.` or case. The switch mechanismlliere .illustrated comprisesa plurality of switch members inthe formv` of laminated arms Qwhicli move'intoland'ou olfengagement with pairs ot.` contacts 3,11, and the. contacts 3 being` connectedetoter-- minals 5 which in turn:areiconnectedito .the service. wiresenteringrgron-e end: ot the box; and. the` contacts ai being` connectedtofusc contacts 6, which are connected` through fuses 7 to fuse contactsSpaired,with the contacts G, these contactsS being' connected to terminals 9 which are'connected tothe service wires leaving the other end1 of tht1` box.

The contacts. hlfand the switclrmechanism are mounted lona suitable base 10 which is secured in the box'in any suitable manner, and thetuse contacts are also .mounted on siuxhvbase. The box. is provided with a cover: 12` hingedV at113 thereto. and permanentlyheld in position by screws'le and such: cover 12 is also tormediwith' a` doorfl opposite they tuses ot ythe tusecompartment, this doorI being: normally held l. closed byy a' latch 1 6.`

The means for actuating the yswitch:member, ashere illustrated, comprises a rock. shaft 17 carried in a frame 18, aihandle 19 and motion:transmitting` means: between thev handle 19 andrthe shaft 17 comprisingfa. shaft. 20 journalled ini one. side otfzthe-'bon and coupled/at. its inner. end bya. nutvat` the couplingQl to thev shaft: 17.V Therrtrame 18 is..1nounted"on thebaselO.` The motion oi the shaft is transmitted toy the carrier. from A.the Yswitch arms :by A-anyi suitable mechanism unnecessary to` describe:andaunnecese. sary' :tor understanding 'this switch operating mechanism. It is sucientf for 'an'undere standing'o'f this switch operatingimechanism to bearfin mindthat the.. rocl'zingfotl'the shaft upon the movementfof the handleupf wardly in this arrangement otftheswitch closes; the switchV and the movement Vof #the handle. in` the r opposite direction etlectsthe opening 0l' Athe: switch.

As here` illustrated, the. handle 19 is mounted .onthe outer fcndrot. the shaft 20 :to rotate about thel same and is connected to the sha'lft 2O .f by a lostA motion' connection. This lost motion connection is here illustrated as in the nature oi a pin and slot, and

comprises an outwardly extending arm or shoulder 22, here shown as provided on a collar 23 fixed to the shaft 20 and a laterally extending pin or shoulder 24 on the hub 25 of the handle 19, the pin 24 extending into the path ot the shoulder 22. Upon movement of the handle in one direction, as upwardly, the pin 24 engages the shoulder 22 and rocks the shafts 20 and 17 to bring the arms 2 in contact with the contacts 3, 4.

The locking means for holding the switch in its on position, as here shown, coacts directly with the collar 23, is movable automatically into operative position, and is released by the movement ot the handle downwardly when the handle is moved relatively to the shaft 2O in a retrograde direction, such movement being permitted by the lost motion connection.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the locking means is a latch 26 pivoted on a stud 27 extending from one side of the box, the latch having an engaging end movable intoengagement with an outwardly extending arm or shoulder 23 provided on the collar 23. The stud 27 is arranged on one side of the shaft 2O and the engaging end of the latch 26 on the diametrically opposite side, and a spring 29 for automatically moving the latch 26 into its operative position, is connected to the stud 27 on one side of such stud and extends obliquely -across a straight line passing` through the stud 27 and the point oi' contact of the engaging end of the latch 26 with the arm 28 and is connected at its other end to the latch 26 on the opposite side of such line. As here. illustrated, the engaging end of the latch 26 is adjustable and it consists of a set screw 30 threading through the end of the latch 26 remote from the stud 27, the set screw 30 being arranged substantially radial with the stud 27. Usually, the arm 29 or" the collar 23 is provided with a roller 31 with which the set screw 30 coacts. A suitable adjust*- able part, as a set screw 30a carried by an arm 23a on the collar 23 limits the movement of the latch 26.

This latch 26 is tripped 'during the retrograde movement of the handle lever 19 by the pin 24, which pin moves into engagement with the shoulder or face 32 provided on the latch 26 in the path of such pin 24.

The opening of the switch is preferablyr controlled by means coacting with the handle 19, this means being here shown as a latch 33 coacting with a shoulder 34 on the hub 25 of the handle 20, this latch being operable either by hand or by low voltage release means. The latch 33 is here illustrated as in the form of a bell crank lever mounted on the stud 27, one arm thereof coacting with the shoulder 34 on the hub oi' the handle 19 and the other arm 35 having connected thereto a trip member 36. This member 36 can be used as a handle, or operated by release mechanism. Obviously, upon the tripping oi the latch 33, the handle 19 will all down by its own weight from the position shown in Figure 2, causing the pin 24 thereon to strike the shoulder or face 3201i the lock 26 and trip such lock 26 thus releasing the shaft 20, so that, the switch opens or is free to open by the resiliency of the arms 2 or by other springs. The member 36 is shown as a rodhaving a handle 37.

Usually the automatic or low voltage release means tor controlling the opening of the switch, is employed. This means illustrated comprises a pair of coils 38, 39 suitably supported within a casing 40 mounted on the outside of the box 1, the coils being connected respectively to the outside main conductors ot the circuit and to the central main conductor at the ends of the fuses 7 remote from the switch members 2, that is, at the fuse contacts 8 or the terminals 9, movable cores 40, 41 arranged within the coils, and means for transferring the movement of the cores 40, 41 to the latch 33, the coil 33 being connected at its upper end.- to wire terminal 9 of one outside main conductor as that on the right hand of Figure 1 by a wire 42 and the lower end of the coil 39 being connected by a wire 43 to the contact 8 in the other outside main conductor, and the inner end of the both coils being connected preferably by a common conductor 44 to the fuse contact 8 of the central main conductor.

This means for transferring the movement of the cores-40, 41 to the trip latch 33 comprises the rod 36 which is movable endwisely through the casing 40 and through the cores 40, 41, the rod having shoulders 45,

46 arranged in the path of the cores 40, 41

respectively. A suitable spring 47 acts on the lever arm 35, this spring being shown as interposed between the lever arm 35 and the top of the casing 40.

In operation, when the switch is on the rod 36 is moved upwardly by the spring 47 and this spring moves the latch lever 33 into engagement with the shoulder 34 on the handle tohold the lhandle in on position. During the movement of the handle to its on position, it rocks the shaft 2O by reason of the pin 24 engaging the shoulder 22 on the collar 23 and, when the switch reaches its on position, the spring 29 pulls the latch 26 into engagement with the arm shoulder 28 of the collar 23. To open the switch, the rod 36 is pulled tripping the latch 33 and releasing the handle 19, so that it falls by gravity and trips the latch 26 for the shaft 2O or, if either of the fuses 7 in the outside mains burns out, or, if there is any other reason for the circuit being broken through such outside main, the correspondhence permit the switch to open.

CTL

If, forL any reason, the circuit'becomes broken through, the central main conductor, as, if the fuses 7` in the central mainburns out, the resistance of the magnet coils 33, 39 is so great thatthemagnetsare not powerful enough to hold the armatures or cores 40, Lll elevated andboth cores dropand act on the shoulders 45', @L6 as hammers to release the latch 33, so that, the switch opens, as before described.

iVhat I claim is:

l. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a movable member and operating mechanism therefor comprising a handle and motion transmittingmeans between the.

handlefand the switch member and locks coacting respectively with` the `motion transmitting.'membenand with the handle, said locks being movable automatically into their operative positions and the handle having means for tripping the lock of the motion transmitting member.

2. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a movable switch member and operating mechanism therefor comprising a handle and a motion transn'iitting element between the handle and switch member, spring pressed locks coacting respectively with said element and the handle and movable automatically by the springs into their operative position, the handle having means for tripping the lock of the motion transmitting element and means for tripping the lock of the handle.

In a switch mechanism, the combination of a switch and operating means therefor comprising a handle, movable transmitting means between the handle and the movable switch member, a lock movable automatically into engagement with the motion transmitting means when the same is in its position assumed when the switch is on, a lock coacting with the handle to hold it in its position assumed when the switch is on, the handle having means for coacting with the first mentioned lock to trip the same and operating to release the motion transmitting means.

4. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a movable switch member and operating means therefor comprising a handle, motion transmitting means between the handle and the switch member, the handle being connected to the motion transmitting means by a lost motion connection, a spring pressed lock for holding` the motion transmitting means in its operative position occupied when' the switch is on;", said lock being.y movable automatically Vby 'its spring into .engagement with the motion transmitting means-and Ythe handle havingimeans` coacting with the lock to move it against' its, spring out of operative engagement withthe motion transmitting means.

5. In a switch mechanism, the combina,- tion of amovable switch-member and operating means thereforcomprising a ,handle and motion 'transmitting'. means between the handle and the switch member, the handle being connected'to the motion transmitting means by a lost motion connection, the handle being movable automatically tofoff position, a lock for holdingthe motion transmitting .means in' its operative `bosition occupied when the switch is on, said lock being movable automatically into engage-melei5` with the motion transmitting means, the handle havingfmeans coacting with the lock to move it out of operative engagement with the motion transmittingmeans, and a second lock coacting with the handle and movable automatically intooperative engagement` therewith when f the handle'ismoved to its position occupied when the switch is 0n.

G. In a switch mechanism, the combination of movable switch member, operating mechanism therefor con'xprising a` shaft movable about an axis, a handle connect-ed to the shaft by lost motion connection, locks coacting respectively with the handle and the shafttohold them in theirpositions assumed when the switch is on, said locks being movable'automatically into their operative positions, the handle having means for tripping the lock for the sha-ft when the handle is moved in a retrograde direction relatively to the shaft and means for tripping the lock to the handle.

7. In a switch mechanism, the combination of movable switch member, operating mechanism therefor comprising a shaft movable about an axis, a handle mounted on the shaft and movable about the same, a lost motion connection between the handle and the shaft, locks arranged to hold the handle and the shaft in their positions assumed when the switch is on, said locks being movable automatically into their operative position and the handle having means for tripping the lock for the shaft when the handle is moved in retrograde direction relatively to the shaft and means for tripping the latch to the handle. f

8. In a. switch mechanism, the combination of a movable switch member, operating mechanism therefor comprising a shaft provided with a pair of outwardly extending arms, a handle mounted on the shaft and having a shoulder movable into engagement with one of said arms whereby the handle is connected to the shaft by a lost. motion connection, a latch coactin'g with the other arm Dit of the shaft and movable automatically into engagement therewith when the shaft is operated to the on7 posit-ion and a lock for holding the handle in its on position, said lock being movable automatically into ,its operative position, the handle being arranged to trip the lock for the shaft when the handle is moved in a retrograde direction and means for tripping the lock of the handle.

9. ln a switch mechanism, the combination ot a movable switch member, operating mechanism therefor .comprising a shaft movable about an axis and having a collar thereon formed with outwardly extending shoulders, a handle mountedon the shaft adjacent the collar and having a shoulder movable into. engagen'ient with one of the former shoulders whereby the handle is connected to the switch by a lost motion connection, a latch arranged to engage the other shoulder oi' the collar when the switch is in its on7 position, the latch being arranged in the path of the shoulder on the handle to be tripped by the handle when the handle is moved in retrograde direction, and a latch movable automatically into engagement with the handle to lock it in its on7 position and means for tripping the latch for the handle.

lO. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a. movable switch member and operating means therefor comprising a shaft movable about an axis having a pair of shoulders movable thereon, a handle having a shoulder for engaging one ot the former shoulders to turn the shaft, a latch coacting with the handle to normally hold it in its position assumed when the switch is on, a latch coacting with the other shoulder of the shaft for holding the shaft in its position assumed when the switch is on, means for releasing the first mentioned latch7 the second mentioned latch being arranged to move out of its operative engagement by the handle after the handle has been released Nfrom the Vlirst mentioned latch.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, and State OI New York, this 3rd day oi October, 1923.

CARL H. BISSELL. 

